Archive for November, 2012

I don’t know why you’d even want to bring people to a yard using a milkshake. Maybe I don’t understand what Kelis was talking about. Nonetheless, I do love milkshakes, the kind made with milk and ice cream, not whatever kind that song refers to. So, what could you possibly do to make a milkshake even more over-the-top? Booze.

Who doesn’t like booze? Who doesn’t like ice cream? So why is it so crazy to put them together? Continue reading »

Burnt out.
This is where I am at.
As you can see, I am studying for my exams. Studying so hard I have decided to listen to an audio book rendition of Virginia Woolf”s Mrs Dalloway because I might go blind if I read it again. I have hit the wall of ‘college burnout’ and can now totally understand ‘why’ people drop out.
College.is.hard. and for me, seemingly never-ending.
The thing is ….. Continue reading »

The boys are gone to school filled with such excitement. Tonight is the night they have eagerly awaited for a very long time. At 9.30 this evening we will huddle up on the sofa and surround ourselves with goodies, as The Late Late Toy Show hits our television screens. There are still some similarities between what are my favourite childhood memories and what will be my children’s and this is near the top of the list. Continue reading »

Yaso. Just what the doctor ordered!
Yaso is the name of the god of healing in Greek mythology. It is also the name of one of the well priced well bred new wines from Cork importer Wine Alliance.
Well bred? Yes indeed, the vineyard is owned by the Osborne family. No, not the heavy metal tribe. I’m talking about a vine respectability here: the owners are the Osbornes of Jerez. The Tonto de. Continue reading »

If we all spend €4 more a week on Irish products we can create 6,000 more jobs. But who defines what is an Irish product?
While you can spend a lot of time checking labels and wondering exactly what they mean, the easiest way to make absolutely sure that you’re buying Irish is to source products from small producers. Continue reading »

As his parents and siblings can attest, Matt was a difficult child growing up. Excitable, restless and easily agitated, he was nicknamed ‘the not-so-genius Evil Genius’ by his younger brother, David, who’s revenge was exacted on Matt’s stag weekend back in April (pictured). Continue reading »

There’s a plethora of excellent deals to be found right around Ireland today, with over 100 businesses selling many goods and services for just €5.
The promotion, organised by RTE’s Liveline, is primarily a chance for small, local businesses to get a much-needed boost, while also providing a bargain for the consumer.
Businesses taking part include butchers, beauty salons, florists, golf courses, pubs, restaurants and cafes, and much more. Continue reading »

CIT ENTERTAINS FOR CHARITY WITH BRENDAN CASHMAN
Some of the audience at last year’s event with Rory O’Connell
CIT and the Department of Tourism and Hospitality are delighted to welcome back multi-award winning Chef Brendan Cashman to perform a seasonal-themed cookery demonstration on Wednesday, 5 December 2012 at 7.00pm.
The demonstration will take place in the Tourism and Hospitality. Continue reading »

I love spicy food. Being half-Hispanic, I guess you could say that it’s in my blood. Indian curries, Thai chicken, a pot of fire-alarm chili, and Mexican chile rellenos are some of my favorites. The spicier the better. My ultimate favorite though, is a tweaked version of this mango salsa recipe.
Instead of jalapeños, I kick it up about a million notches and use one and a half habañero peppers. Continue reading »

I love spicy food. Being half-Hispanic, I guess you could say that it’s in my blood. Indian curries, Thai chicken, a pot of fire-alarm chili, and Mexican chile rellenos are some of my favorites. The spicier the better. My ultimate favorite though, is a tweaked version of this mango salsa recipe.
Instead of jalapeños, I kick it up about a million notches and use one and a half habañero peppers. Continue reading »

Here’s another recipe from the Bring It On Home cookbook, supporting Movember. The folks behind the book have sent on a few recipes to share so here’s a tasty looking Thai Lon of Pork and Prawn with Grilled Sea Bass. Continue reading »

A nameless friend – we’ll call her Siún A., or S. Aherne – sent this to us via Facebook at the end of August:
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!! Yes my lovely friends it is that time of year again! Time to organise our Christmas dinner… So a couple of suggestions…
Sat 15th, Friday 21st or Saturday 22nd of December!! And yes.. Continue reading »

This year’s three-day Food and Wine extravaganza kicks off at 4pm tomorrow, Friday 30th November and rolls right through until 7pm Sunday 2nd November 2012.
It promises to be a heck of a way to start the merry season of eating and drinking (my favourite pastimes!), with everything from top chef masterclasses to restaurant tastings taking place in the RDS Main Hall, Dublin. Continue reading »

Food and Drink Spotting
Taste of the Week!
A Winter’s Ale
I have a highly recommended seasonal beer for you today. It comes from Mitchelstown’s 8 Degrees Brewing and it called A Winter’s Ale and it is widely available.
They say “it will warm you from the inside out”. Not too sure about that but I certainly enjoyed this strong (7%) spiced darkish ale. The spices, which come via Green Saffron. Continue reading »

I’d say I’ll have an extra bottle or two of wine over Christmas. M&S will help.
As usual, the M&S Dine In for Two for €12.50 deal includes a main, side and dessert to feed two, plus a bottle of wine or two litres of juice.
Sadly, my freezer isn’t large enough to accommodate all the more or less free food that comes with this wine: this is a notification to my parents, if they’re reading, that I’ll shortly be dumping a load of stuff in their chest freezer. Continue reading »

‘La Clape’ is the bit to look out for on the label. It’s a World Heritage site, meaning ‘pile of stones’ in Occitan and was an island up until the Gallo-Roman period, and before the Aude’s river sediment deposits became part of the mainland. The geological history is important – its soil is a sandy limestone originating from very porous, calcareous rock slides, which allows the soil to retain rainwater. Continue reading »

Natasha White*, a long-time family friend, has gained a reputation as a sterling cook and baker. Lately she’s been sharing some of her easy-to-follow recipes on Facebook, and she’s kindly allowed me to pilfer this one. It’s perfect to get you in the Christmas mood. Continue reading »

As usual, the tail-end of November means it’s up to the Ulster Hall for CAMRA Northern Ireland’s annual festival. Even though this is just the third year in the refurbished venue, it’s already very familiar: a four-sided bar in the middle of the floor with an impressive stillage arrangement looming up behind it. Continue reading »

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Every cook we know loves their iPad (or lusts after one) for clipping, reading and cooking from online recipes right in the kitchen. Well, Clickcase.ie has what may be the ultimate kitchen gadget for iPad lovers: the Speck Handyshell slots around your iPad 2 so it can be hung from any rack, drawer or cabinet knob, keeping your iPad at eye level and safe from spills and mess. Genius!

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This November The Great Irish Bake is back and Kitchen Hero Donal Skehan is helping out with sharing recipes and promoting the event. The Great Irish Bake is in aid of helping sick and seriously ill children get the treatment they need. Head over to The Great Irish Bake to register online and be in the chance of winning a trip to New York when you help raise funds for Temple Street Children’s University Hospital. The site also has hints, tips, recipes and all that goes with an event like this.

This is the Facebook for The Great Irish Bake and of course the Twitter hashtag is: #thegreatirishbake

The Great Irish Bake organisers have shared a recipe with us and also a picture of Donal Skehan with his kids from his first marriage. Some of this might be a lie.

The Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. In a standalone mixture beat together the butter and sugar. Add in the egg and
mix through.
3. Using a wooden spoon mix through the flour, baking powder, salt, mixed spice
and vanilla extract until you have a biscuit dough.
4. Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and roll out to about 1cm in thickness.
5. Cut out biscuit shapes, place on the lined baking tray, then using a smaller cutter
or a small knife cut out the center of each cookie.
6. Sprinkle the crushed sweets into the centre of the cookie and place in the oven
7. Cook in the oven for about 15 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before transferring to a wire
wrack.

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